1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to locomotive braking systems and, more particularly, to a system and method for calibrating the measurement of compressed air flow from the supply (main) reservoir to the brake pipe.
2. Description of the Related Art
Locomotive air brake systems control train brakes by modulating the pressure in a compressed air pipe, referred to as the brake pipe, which runs continuously through the entire train. The brake pipe must be supplied with compressed air from the locomotive main supply reservoirs to release the train brakes and to operate the braking system. The air brake system allows the user to control the flow of compressed air into and out of the brake pipe to apply and release the train brakes. When an operator is charging the brake pipe with compressed air from the supply reservoir, the operator is provided an indication of the volumetric air flow. Because the air flow decreases as the brake pipe approaches target pressure, the air flow indication provides information about the degree to which the brake pipe has reached the desired target pressure throughout the train.
Various laws and regulations detail the maximum amount of air flow that can be present before a stopped train can be allowed to proceed in operation. Compliance with these and other laws and regulations requires the periodic calibration of the flow measuring system to insure that the operator is acting on valid information. However, the conventional method for calibrating the locomotive air brake flow measuring system requires several manual steps. As each manual step represents a labor cost as well as a potential for operator error, there is a need in the art for an automated approach to flow calibration.